The bottom hem on the drape is the bottom part of the curtain that usually folds over and is sewn to create a border. Many clients do not know they have an option when it comes to picking out what kind of bottom hem they want.
Most projects use double or traditional hem but many people like the features of the chain hem.
Traditional Hems: 4” double fold with straight blind stitching. (left photo) Chain Hems: ¼”Rolled Hem over a beaded chain weight is available upon request. (right photo)
Here is an example of what a chain hem looks like with the drapery hung.
Here is a hung drape with a traditional sewn bottom hem.
The biggest difference between both is the visual appearance.
A chained bottom hem:
-Weighs the drape down more, avoiding fly away drapes from AC wind
- Minimalistic look
- Defines/sharpens the look of the waves of the pleats.
A traditional sewn hem:
-Only has a small square weight at the corners of the sheers, not giving much weight (0.25oz square weight)
-Hems at the bottom are 4" inches double folded at the bottom
Here is the view from the outside. This is when your drapes are not floor length.
Traditional Bottom Hem
Chained Bottom Hem
Of course you can always let your sheers/drapes hang longer if needed and its allowed (no AC under the window) to prevent a traditional hem being seen from the outside.
Which do you like best?